Spring-held decorative shade



July 7, 1953 l. w; SCHOENHERR .2,644,853

SPRING-HELD DECORATIVE: SHADE Filed Apfn 28, 195o INVEN TOR.

BU@ @6M Patented July 7, 19:53

UNITED PATENT OFFICE?" u '72,644,883* n f v .s ,Q srRIGHIQn-.nnoonfnrlvn snAn' y i 'i Leonard Schonherr, Ludington, Mich. Application 1April 2s, 1950, serial No. 15s,'s'7i romans.' cima- 10),

Y l. 1 l. This .invention relates toN improvements in ornamental illuminating devices. y

The .principal objects of this invention are: First, to provide an illuminating device which is highlyV ornamentaland Welladapted rfor use l of the helical coil and of y such diameterlast 1 springably engage the side walls Bof the member..

andin supportedengagement with the end wall 'l1 s,

f thereof. A)This ,supports` the lamp holdingihelical.;

inr ornamentalr lightinggfor example, Christmas trees and inv various uses where ornamental lighting-isi desired.

Second, to .provideanprnamental .shade ele-A ment. which maybe very quickly. assembled with a .lamp bulb.v and one in whichthe connection .f or

theshadeelementto the bulb issuch that there is little strain on the bulb or its support and elecr;

trical connections.

Third,l to provide' a structure having thesel advantages which may be very economically follow. The invention is deiined and pointedout in the claims.

A preferred embodiment vof," the" invention 'is illustrated in the accompanying" drawing, i

which: l

Fig. 1 is a View partially in vertical section on a line corresponding to line I-I of Fig. 2 ofan illuminating device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a. bottom view with the lamp bulb removed.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of a modified form or embodiment of my invention, the modification being in the shape of the shade member.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View in section on a line corresponding to line I-l of Fig. 2 showing the details of the shade member.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the shade member I is spherical and has a cylindrical chamber 2 therein opening at one side of the shade member and extending substantially beyond the center of the shade member. This shade member is characterized by `being made up or consisting of a multiplicity of maybe' of ay wide variety ofshapes." When' coils 4 centrally and yieldablyrwithin thechamf, ber. In the embodiment illustrated, thei bulb 8, is of the tapered type s uch as. is commonly used; for ,ornamental lighting of Christmas .treesand thelike, and a lplurality. lffcoils 9 fare conformed-,fv to receive the tapered bulb rand s'p'ring'ably'ret'jafnjA it, the terminal end i0 being belowtheport of the bulb of the largest diameter. This con nects the bulb and the yshade Amember yielda orv springably so lthat thrust .onthe shade memev .f ber is not likely to break the bulb `or.- its conf" nections. ,f

In the embodiment showninFigjthe yshade,A member Il is vof bell'shape. `f .Thefshadefniemb r) bulb is lighted, the' light glowsthrough the. sha ej .producing a1"very "attractive effect." Various colored bulbsmay" if desired beus'ed, a djtheyj produce variousi shades of colorQ-'soy thafa-"very' great variation in illumination effects may be secured by this simple means. It is preferred that the shade element be uncolored. Light transmitted through the various translucent cell walls is completely diffused so that there is a quite uniform and highly attractive glow effect.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practical embodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other adaptations or embodiments which I contemplate, as I believe this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An illuminating device comprising a trans, lucent shade member having a central cylindricali lamp bulb chamber open at one side of .the vshade: member and extending inwardly substantially be. yond the center thereof, and a helically coiled'. springable Wire lamp bulb holder disposed Within said chamber and terminating at its inner end in an integral springable shade member engagingcoil disposed in a plane substantially at right. angles to ythe axis of the holder, the end portion of the shade member engaging coilibeing free from adjacent portions of the holder to facilitate free expansion of the shade member engaging coil against the wall of the chamberr when the holder` is seated in the chamber, the shade member en- 'p gaging coil being of a diameter exceeding the diameter of the chamber and springably compressibly engaging the side wall thereof and in supported relation to the end wall thereof, the other coils of the holder being of substantially less diameter than the shade engaging coil and disposed axially centrally thereof and springably supported thereby in spaced relation to the wall of the chamber, said lholder having an inwardly tapering conically coiled lamp bulb embracing portion at its outer end, the end portion of the outer coil of the holder being free from adjacent portions of the holder to facilitate free radial flexing movement of the outer coil, said outer coll being directed radially inwardly for retainlng engagement with the base of a tapered lamp bulb disposed within the holder.

2. An illuminating device comprising a translucent shade member having a central cylindrical lamp bulb chamber open at one side of the shade member and extending inwardly substantially beyond the center thereof, and a helically coiled springable wire lamp bulb holder disposed within said chamber and terminating at its inner end in an integral springable shade member engaging coil disposed in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the holder, the other coils of the holder being of substantially less diameter than the shade engaging coil and disposed axially centrally thereof and springably supported there- 'by in spaced relation to the wall of the chamber, said holder having an inwardly tapering conically coiled lamp bulb embracing portion at its outer end.

3. An illuminating device comprising a translucent spherical shade member having a central cylindrical lamp bulb chamber open at one side of the shade member and extending inwardly substantially beyond the center thereof, the shade member consisting of a multiplicity of relatively small closed cells having a connected nonsymmetrical translucent wall, and a helically coiled springable wire lamp bulb holder disposed within said chamber and terminating at its inner end in an integral springable shade member engaging coil disposed in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the holder, the other coils of the holder being of substantially less diameter than the shade engaging coil and disposed axially centrally thereof and springably supported thereby in spaced relation to the wall of the chamber, said holder having an inwardly tapering conically coiled lamp bulb embracing portion at its outer end.

4. An illuminating device comprising a translucent shade member having a central cylindrical lamp bulb chamber open at one side of the shade member, and a helically coiled springable Wire lamp bulb holder disposed within said chamber and terminating at its inner end in an integral springable shade member engaging coil disposed in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the holder, the end portion of the shade member engaging coil being free from adjacent portions of the holder to facilitate free expansion of the shade member engaging coil against the wall of the chamber when the holder is seated in the chamber, the shade member engaging coil being of a diameter exceeding that of the chamber and springably compressibly engaging the side Wall thereof and in end thrust supported relation to the end wall thereof, the other coils of the holder being of substantially less diameter than the shade engaging coil and disposed axially centrally thereof and springably supported thereby in spaced relation to the wall of the chamber and conformed to springably embrace a tapered lamp bulb.

LEONARD W. SCHOENHERR.

References Cited in the le 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,008,791 Levy July 23, 1935 2,095,648 Oftedahl Oct. 12, 1937 2,249,691 Gelardin July 15, 1941 

